Razer Leviathan review

SOUND QUALITY

The sound bar has two 60mm full-range speaker drivers and a pair of 19mm tweeters, which have a combined maximum 30W output. The accompanying subwoofer’s 130mm downward-firing driver also produces 30W. That adds up to impressive volume levels given the Leviathan’s size, to the point that our next door neighbours could clearly hear our test tracks at two-thirds maximum volume. The black speaker grille held firm and showed no signs of reverberation or rattle during our testing, even at high volumes.

We were impressed with the level of clarity when listening to music or watching films, as the mid-range and high-end were clear and precise. More delicate acoustic tracks had plenty of detail, and effects like breaking glass sounded sharp and delicate.

The Dolby effects even did a reasonable job of mimicking surround sound, to the point that we could tell when an enemy was approaching from the side in a heated game of Counter-Strike. It’s no replacement for a 5.1 speaker system or surround sound headset, but the soundbar is a definite improvement over basic stereo speakers or headphones.

However, there’s no doubt that the Leviathan is incredibly bass-heavy. Rock and electronic music sound devastating with the volume turned up, with the subwoofer creating a serious kick that will quickly grab the attention of anyone else in the house. It doesn’t quite overpower the mid-range in film and game modes, but it comes close. Music mode is slightly more forgiving, but bass is still overly dominant.

The extra bass arguably works well in games, giving gunshots and explosions real presence, but some might find it a little overpowering for films and music. In our original review it wasn’t clear how to adjust bass response, as there was no dedicated dial on the soundbar or the subwoofer, but we’ve since been informed that holding down the Dolby effect button and pressing the up and down volume controls adjusts bass accordingly. This worked perfectly when we re-tested the Leviathan, making it a much more enjoyable experience listening to subtle acoustic tracks or watching live TV. While it is possible to use the sound bar without the subwoofer attached, it effectively loses all bass presence, so adjusting it manually is definitely the way forward. We’ve since adjusted our review score accordingly.

CONCLUSION

The Leviathan is reasonably priced at £165, which is roughly what you’d pay for a high quality 2.1 speaker set like Corsair’s SP2500, and that system doesn’t include Bluetooth support. We loved the Leviathan’s flexibility and ability to pump out a seriously loud sound, and now we’ve discovered how to adjust bass response to pull back from its low end-heavy tuning out of the box, it’s usable for much more than just gaming. If you want your room to shake every time you boot up a deathmatch, this is a worthy alternative to a set of desktop speakers.

Have a read of our guide to the best soundbars for more alternatives.